IMAGE: Kamini Kaushal in the film Radha Krishna (1954).
Kamini Kaushal was one of Indian cinema’s long-lasting actresses, who went from playing Dilip Kumar and Dev Anand’s heroine to Manoj Kumar and Rajesh Khanna’s mother.
Even at a ripe old age, she was delightfully agile, alert, sprightly and yes, girlish.
When Subhash K Jha spoke to her some years ago, she had said, “I have gone through three generations, and still at it. Of course, things have changed.
“At the beginning of the century, my father went to Cambridge. It took him three months to reach England, as he went by boat. There was no communication with my mother except the sporadic letters.
“Now, when my son is working in London, we’re in touch constantly. This is what change is all about.”
Kamini Kaushal had admitted that she had an unusual career trajectory.
“I’ve done what I wanted to do — got married and left the industry when required, returned when it was okay. When I wanted to work, I did. When I was needed elsewhere, I didn’t. Cinema was never my be-all and end-all. Yes, I was passionate about acting but not for the sake of making money.
“I was reluctant to accept Neecha Nagar. I used to do theatre and radio. Chetan Anand chased me to accept Neecha Nagar. Pandit Ravi Shankar did the music. I was lucky to be part of something so pathbreaking, although I wasn’t planning a film career. It was a songless, experimental film. Yet, I got quite a few offers after that.”
IMAGE: Kamini Kaushal with Dilip Kumar in Arzoo.
Some of her biggest hits were with Dilip Kumar.
“Nadiya Ke Paar was cute, like a poem. Dilip (Kumar) and I got along very well. I shared an easygoing relationship with Raj Kapoor also. He was a prankster. We were all pals, young and uninhibited,” she said.
She was Biraj Bahu, her only film with Bimal Roy.
“I was lucky to get it. I didn’t even sign a contract. What a fulfilling and intense experience Biraj Bahu was! Many times he’d take a shot without rehearsals.
“Technically, our films have progressed but the content is suffering. I’m sure youngsters feel differently. They aren’t aware of my films. To them, it doesn’t matter whether actors from my era existed.
“Today’s generation knows so much. I live in South Mumbai and the entire industry lives in Juhu and Andheri (northwest Mumbai). To go to the other end of the city to meet friends isn’t possible, so I spend my free time swimming. I must do some exercise. Either I do yoga or swim.”
Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff
